A key feature of the upcoming festival of
Sukkot (Tabernacles) is the Arba Minim (four species). When put together they symbolize the human
body – the focus of Israel’s medical, scientific and humanitarian work.
One of the four species is the Lulav (palm
branch), which symbolizes the human spine.
For those with inoperable spine
injuries, the phenomenal success of the NASDAQ launch of Israel’s
ReWalk and its amazing exoskeleton, brings closer the day when they may
be able to walk again. However,
where spine
surgery is still an option, this new video from Israel’s Mazor
Renaissance emphasizes the main advantage of Mazor’s unique robot system - 100%
accuracy every time.
Israeli medical research and innovative
therapies treat all areas of the body.
As antibiotics rapidly become ineffective, Israel’s Atox Bio has been
awarded $24 million by the US Biomedical R&D Authority to help develop its
AB103 treatment for
severe infection. AB103 uniquely modulates the patient’s immune
response, against which viruses and bacteria cannot develop any
resistance. Next, approximately 12%
of US citizens and many in Europe suffer from the liver disease
Non-Alcoholic Steato-Hepatitis, or NASH, for which there is currently no
treatment on the market. So the decision of the US Food and Drug Administration
to award Fast
Track Designation to Israeli biotech Galmed for its Aramchol treatment
of NASH is extremely good news for everybody concerned. Finally, scientists at the Hebrew University
of Jerusalem have discovered how circular RNA is
produced. The mysterious molecule is
associated with degenerative
muscle and brain diseases. The finding can help lead to new treatments.
Israel strives hard to help those with a
less than perfect body. The charity
Beit Issie Shapira won Microsoft Israel’s “Innovate for Good” competition for
its “IssiePlay” imaginative computer game for
children with disabilities.
Beit Issie benefits 30,000 Israeli disabled children and adults. Time Magazine named Israel’s Adi Altschuler
as one of its six “Next Generation Leaders.”
27-year-old Adi created “communities
of kindness” by establishing Krembo Wings - a nationwide youth movement
that runs after-school activities for children with disabilities. But I was
particularly moved watching this beautiful video of Erez, one of 150 Israelis
with severe “Williams
syndrome” disorder, who is introduced to a horse on a farm in
Israel.
Parents of young, growing bodies will
appreciate three Israeli developments.
Israeli scientists have discovered a link in the brain between
remembering what you ate and where you ate it.
Children who say they “don’t like” a particular food could be persuaded
to eat it if they re-tasted
the food in a different place.
Meanwhile, two Israeli baby-food executives have developed a new
vegetable-based product called INDI (Innovative Non Dairy Infant formula). It provides a solution for babies
who cannot tolerate cows milk.
It also doesn’t contain soy, which can affect a baby’s hormones. But for
the millions in Vietnam who rely on milk products, this video by
Israel’s afimilk, highlights its implementation of the largest dairy farm
project in the world.
In the four species, the myrtle leaf
symbolizes the eye. Professor Richard
Horton, editor of UK medical magazine “The Lancet” certainly had
his eyes opened when he saw at first hand Jews and Arabs treating and
being treated at Haifa’s Rambam hospital. What Prof Horton said with his mouth
(symbolized by the willow leaf) was encouraging. We wait to see if it has
changed his heart (symbolized by the citron).
He will no doubt be aware that Israeli doctors have saved
at least 1200
Syrian lives (six more
in the past week).
An old Jewish blessing states, “You should
live for 120 years” and Israel does so much to ensure that our bodies last for
as long as possible. So it is quite remarkable that Israel’s oldest hospital,
Jerusalem’s Herzog Hospital, is celebrating its 120th
birthday and is still expanding. After all, Herzog is Israel’s foremost
center for geriatric health care, treatment and research. In parallel, Israel’s Science Ministry is to
give grants totaling up to 15 million shekels ($4.5 million) in 2015 for
scientists working on practical solutions
for the elderly. The above articles, plus many more, suggest why Israel’s life expectancy
is the 4th highest in the world. The
following video gives some other reasons.
I conclude by wishing 90-year-old Aviel
Hangshing a
healthy future as he brings both body and soul to Israel, fulfilling a
dream he has held for so many years. Aviel is the most senior of the lost
tribe of Bnei Menashe to arrive from India so far. He can take comfort from the continuing story of Yisrael Krysztal
who arrived in Israel in 1950 at the age of 47 having survived Auschwitz. Yisrael has just celebrated his 111th
birthday, in which two Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer players presented him
with a team shirt with the number 111 on it.
He might not be in the starting line-up for Maccabi’s next match,
however!
Wishing every body a happy and
healthy festival.
Michael Ordman writes a free weekly
newsletter containing positive news stories about Israel.
For a free subscription, email a request to
michael.goodnewsisrael@gmail.com
